Tax Resource Center

Tax Fraud: Doctors Targeted in Identity Theft Scheme (Texas Medicine, August 2014)A nationwide identity theft scheme is targeting physicians and leaving the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds. As of June, more than 100 Texas Medical Association members notified the association someone had stolen their Social Security numbers and attempted to claim their tax refunds. The association has learned the crime's victims also include physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, dentists, podiatrists, and pharmacists. Texas is one of 49 states and the District of Columbia affected by this con.

Comptroller Mails Business Transaction Forfeiture Notices (Action, Aug. 15, 2014)Physician practices subject to the franchise tax should be aware that if the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts hasn't received their franchise tax returns or approved their extension requests, they may receive a "Texas Notice of Intent to Forfeit Right to Transact Business."

IRS Owes Some of You Money (Action, Apr. 1, 2013)TMA has learned that if you were in residency or fellowship training between Jan. 1, 1995, and March 31, 2005, you may qualify for a refund of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes collected on your stipend during that time.

EHR Incentive Payments Are Taxable Income (Action, Mar. 18, 2013)Incentives paid under the Medicare electronic health record (EHR) incentive program are taxable, the Internal Revenue Service ruled in February.

Support Vaccine Tax DeductionVaccines are central to preserving public health, and our membership believes in the importance of immunizing all Texans. We fully support efforts to ensure that vaccines make good business sense. Providing this minor cost deduction within the margins tax will greatly ensure future access to vaccination services for all Texans.

Franchise Tax Bill UpdateBecause the new method for calculating franchise tax is dramatically different from prior methods, there are few precedents for the State Comptroller to use in drafting rules. Thus, every issue is new and contentious, the impact of the rule is untested, and rulemaking is a difficult process for all parties. TMA anticipated some of the issues in advance, but others emerged from unexpected Comptroller interpretations. TMA responded to a pre-proposal rule draft and to the draft rule published in the Texas Register. The Comptroller's office officially published the rules in December 2007, and TMA convinced the Comptroller to revise some of the rules.